Kiba

"Kiba," a fantasy anime produced by Madhouse and Aniplex, premiered on TV Tokyo on April 5, 2006. The series was directed by Hiroshi Kōjina, with Upper Deck Japan, a trading card company, serving as the primary sponsor. Licensed by Upper Deck USA, the anime was distributed in North America by ADV Films. Unlike typical trading-card-game adaptations, "Kiba" features a darker, more violent tone, with numerous character deaths. In a March 2006 Animage interview, director Hiroshi Kamishina stated the show would "absolutely not include plot elements designed to pander to children." The producers also emphasized that "Kiba" would prioritize storytelling over promotional tie-ins, avoiding the sidelining of "human drama" for marketing purposes. While Upper Deck holds the rights to the series, ADV Films handled distribution, with their studio Amusement Park Media producing the English dub. The anime aired on Toonami Jetstream from July 14, 2008, to January 21, 2009, and is currently available on The Anime Network's Video on Demand service.